Middle Rasen
Village Hall & Recreation Field ~ LN8 3LD

~ Charity No. 521958 ~

The committee welcomed everyone to the village hall A.G.M. on Wednesday 18 th September 2013 at 7.30 pm.

Pete dawson was elected as chairperson, (842713) Rosie Dawson (842713) was elected booking clerk. The different places within the hall remain the same to hire but the hire charges are by arrangement and quite reasonable. Carole Sellars was elected clerk. The rest of the committee being Joyce Rhodes, Trevor Williams, & Carol Ryalls.

This is whats happening to our village hall for the 21 st century.

WLDC has just granted planning permission for the proposed development of Middle Rasen Village Hall. The next stage in the process is to send out a questionnaire to all villagers to gauge their interest in the project. This will be done in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime contractors are being invited to tender for the work to be done. The trustees plan to complete and submit an application for lottery funding for the project by no later than mid March. Ken Miller

To date the kitchen and the toilets have been refurbished. Earlier we heard that the completion of the project will include a small extension forming a new entrance together with disabled toilet facilities; total internal and external recladding and upgrading of all insulation; redecoration and any other affordable ad hoc improvements that may arise from the results of the questionnaires.

RAISING FUNDS FOR THE VILLAGE HALL

Would you like to donate to charity without it costing you a penny?

The Lincolnshire Cooperative Society are introducing a new scheme whereby your Coop dividend card is linked to a charity. The Village Hall charity no.521958 is signing up to this scheme. You will still continue to collect your dividend points in the same way but by linking to the village hall charity on the Coop website to Community Champions. The village hall will receive a matched amount from the Coop The money will go towards helping with the refurbishments & upkeep of the hall. If you have any difficulties linking to the website, please contact Carole (01673 842645) with your name & Coop dividend number. If you wish to hire the hall for any event, please contact Rosie on 01673 842713

Middle Rasen and District Bowls Club

We are a thriving club with about 40 members and are always looking for new or experienced players coming into the area. If you are interested in joining or would like to know more about the Club you can contact Rich Wright, Sandstones, Buslingthorpe Road, Faldingworth (01673 885451)

All welcome to come along and have a go! Please wear worn trainers (not heeled shoes)

WINTER BOWLERS

During the winter months (Sept to April) the Short Mat Bowling Group meets to play indoors twice a week at Middle Rasen Village Hall - Mondays (1:30pm till 4:30pm) & Thursdays (7pm till 10pm). Bowling woods are available but new members need to bring a pair of flat shoes or slippers as trainers or heeled shoes are not permitted. The activity has been running since 1989 and a core group of experienced bowlers are on hand to help beginners. Membership is £8 for the season and it is just 35p per game. It is a great social and sporting activity that is suitable for all ages. For more details contact Roy Kitchen (842553) or just come along.

A short history of the Middle Rasen's Village Hall and the adjacent large Playing Field.

John Wilkinson was a landowner in parts of Newport,Lincoln & Middle Rasen. He owned 2 1/2 acres of land in two fields between Marsh Lane (Manor Drive) & Dungeon Lane ( Wilkinson Drive) & at the primary school in Middle Rasen.

In 1889 the two fields were let to Mr.A.D.Smith for £ 4 per annum.In 1914 Mr.A.D.Smith gave notice to quit the 2 paddocks. These were to be let seperately, with Mr.Swaby taking the larger field at a rent of £5 p.a. & Mr.Pixley the smaller field at a rent of £3 p.a. Records show that in 1919 Caistor Rural Distrct Council wrote to the Charity to ask if there was any land available for housing. In1923 Mr.Pixley gave notice of his rent of the land which was then taken by a Mr. Duke.

A letter from 1937 shows that Rural Community Council Schemes wrote to the charity for financial help in building Village Halls. That must have had little success because later we see (1946) that the charity decided to sell 1 acre 7 perches to the Caistor Rural District Council for £100, provided a strip of land of 7 yards width was left for access to the larger field. This in turn was then rented by the Middle Rasen Parish Council for garden allotments and Caistor Rural District Council asked to visit the plot of land in Dungeon Lane to see if it suitable for housing. ( now the site of some senior citizens bungalows).

In 1963 Charity Commisssion were asked for permission to use the larger field as a playing field & alterations to the scheme. It was proposed and agreed that application be made to use the field owned by the Charity as a site for children's playing field also for a Village Hall Pavilion and providing sporting activities for the parish. This information be given to the then constituted Village Hall Committee who purchased the field for £650 from the John Wilkinson Charity.

Community facilities in every village are dependant upon two things. Firstly, the continued help of a number of faithful volunteers for its up keep, and secondly, on the local community to make use of it. So a big thanks to everyone who has volunteered their help, and please do continue to use and book the hall for your family functions, parties and community events. We are constantly trying to maintain and improve the facilities and are grateful for all those who have helped raise much need funds. Last year a number of willing voluntary helpers spring cleaned the hall, and several of fund raising events including our Tractor Runs helped to raise money to improve the hall. The last one in September 08 raised £305. Progress might be slow, but at least it is progress.

The Middle Rasen and District Pre-School very kindly gave their room to the community for all the hard work fund raising parishioners had done in it's building, and at a small ceremony a key was handed over. This room is now called the ‘Community Room' and can be used as a meeting/conference room or refreshment and quite area for parties. Grants have also been gratefully received from - RaCol, LEAP, Lincolnshire Co-operative Society, Radio Lincolnshire and West Lindsey District Council Councillor Initiative - enabling the purchase of a new double oven, dishwasher, new chairs, banqueting chairs, matching catering crockery and some minor alterations to the hall. Next year we hope to apply for a capital grant to make further improvements.

TRACTOR RUN & CAR BOOT

TRACTORS, PIRATES AND POTS OF GOLD IN MIDDLE!

As a result of some very good publicity about the 2011Autumn Tractor Run, Radio Lincolnshire got is touch with us to ask if they could use the event as part of the clues for their Sunday morning Pirate Gold competition! We were clue 3, so to keep up with the hunt for the “pirate gold” we took a radio to the hall and tuned in. They started off at Tealby and went to the Three Sister's vineyard at Claxby. Then on to us, asking people along the way for information about a Tractor run or Car boot sale. They managed to find someone who knew about our run and they pointed them in our direction, thank you. In burst Amanda Thompson, from Look North, all bouncy and wanting the loo, running down the hall in her high heels. Everyone was in hysterics of at such a funny sight. We had “hidden” clue no 3 outside, on the trailer that has 2 stationary engines to drive lots of puppets, making them come to life. Amanda soon found the clue and from that she ran around asking for information about the next village, where to find coins? That of course was Minting.Eighteen tractors came for the morning run which once again the sun finally shone. Everyone said that they enjoyed the drive and the refreshments after the run, and of course they were well entertained. The event raised £250 towards the village hall funds. Carole Sellars

Any event which would profit from the "sale" of alcohol, whether by purchase or inclusion of a "glass of wine" through ticket sales, will need a "Temporary Event Notice" (TEN) One licence costs £21.00. Application forms are obtainable from WLDC & copies will need to be returned to WLDC & the police 20 working days before the event by named individuals not Groups.

Heavy fines are payable for ignoring these regulations.

N.B. A private party where participants are invited & wine is provided free or are asked to "bring a bottle" is exempt from Licensing.

Please inform the village hall Booking Clerk if you are intending to apply for a Temporary Event Notice as the village hall can only hold 12 such functions in anyone year.